In September 2019, Richard Everett (left) accompanied Secretary Ben Carson and CEO of SoLa Impact Martin Muoto in touring the Sola facility in South Los Angeles CA. to learn of their work.
In Eppley 113, Richard Everett, a 34-year-old, third-year law student at Creighton University’s School of Law, was invited by the Students Against Trafficking (SAT) and Creighton Pre-Law Society to speak in an academic capacity with and educate students on the legal frameworks of prosecuting a trafficker.
According to SAT’s president and senior in the College of Arts and Sciences Alexa Kozlak, his Oct. 28 event provided critical facts regarding the complexities surrounding trafficking prosecutions. Additionally, Kozlak said discussing the topic is necessary for the advocation of the protection against trafficking due to its significance in Nebraska.
“I-80 is a super big highway and it’s where a lot of human trafficking people are transported. And since it does run through Nebraska, it’s very prevalent here, especially in rural areas too, where there’s not as many resources,” Kozlak said. “And you can look it up, there’s heat maps [where] it shows where it’s so prevalent in the world. In North America, it’s super prevalent in human trafficking, which I feel like people are like ‘Oh, it’s like super international,’ but it’s happening really close to us.”
Everett was commended by Kozlak and Kennedy Olson, SAT’s treasure and a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, not only for his knowledge of laws regarding the prosecution of traffickers, but also his extensive list of experience within the realm of politics prior to entering law school.
“I think it is really helpful because … he’s not the traditional law student. You know, [not] going from undergraduate straight to law school … he took a long break between … so I think just knowing how he got to where he’s at is really helpful, especially for people that are planning to go pre-law,” Olson said. “Because I think we hear a lot of what the traditional student does – go to undergrad and then graduate and go to law school – where his experiences, I think have really shaped him as a person before going to law school.”
Prior to college, Everett’s fascination with politics can be credited to his neighbor and began in his high school’s Volunteer Internship Program. Three times a week, he would aid the staff in New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith’s district office in Hamilton.
“[I was] born and raised in New Jersey. I’ve got into politics in high school for better or worse, very early. And my neighbor across the street was a deputy chief of staff and then an interim chief of staff for Christine Whitman in the 90s in New Jersey, the governor. So, he kind of got me involved and then it kind of spawned into working for Congressman Smith,” Everett said.
After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Rider University in December of 2013, he underwent a seven-year gap before resuming his graduate studies in 2020 at the University of Denver in their two-year MBA program for a master’s degree in business administration.
During the seven years between his undergraduate and graduate studies, Everett became fully immersed in the world of politics, as he was able to work under numerous figures in American politics in some of the nation’s most historic buildings.
“In July of 2014, I started working for Congressman Smith, in the district. I worked for him for about a year. Then I went to Governor Christie’s office. Then I was with him for like a year, and some change. And then I worked for the Lieutenant Governor [Kim Guadagno], so still in the admin,” Everett said. “And then in 2017, I went down to the Hill to work for Chris. And I was there for like eight months, maybe. And then I went back to New Jersey to work on the lieutenant governor’s campaign for governor … and then after that … in 2019, I started with [Dr. Ben] Carson at HUD [U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development] as his director of advance. And … I shut the lights off, as they say. So, I was there until Jan. 20 at noon when the admin changes constitutionally.”
He also became a teacher at the Holy Family High School in Broomfield, Colo., during his two years attending the University of Denver.
As his experience varied under different leadership, offices and locations, according to Everett, the level of excitement remained constant throughout his time in both the legislative and executive sides of American politics.
“When you’re on the Hill, the work’s exciting … it’s just constant energy, especially when they’re [legislation] in session. You know, the trains running between the Capitol and the office building, congressmen going back and forth,” Everett said. “And the executive, I was very fortunate in my position. I got to travel with the secretary. I got to be with him. And he’s such an incredible man … and traveling with him around the country was awesome because the adrenaline is going … When he flies in, you’re with him all day in this random city around America.”
With this extensive background, Everett said he felt that this seven-year period was crucial to developing the skills needed to be successful in law school.
Due to the fast-paced nature of politics, he said that he had to become a “jack of all trades, master of none,” especially as the legislative assistant for Rep. Smith, to be successful in the field.
“So, in our office – every office is different, but at the time, there’s only two people in the leg. shop. So, I was a legislative assistant and my direct supervisor, legislative director, and we essentially split the federal government. So, I did DOD [Department of Defense], VA [Department of Veterans Affairs], transportation. And another very interesting thing is fisheries are managed by the Department of Commerce … So it really was just like, one minute you’re working on how big a flounder needs to be in order for fisherman to keep them, and the next minute you’re like, working on DOD, because we had a joint base in the district, and … that’s what kept it exciting, because … you’re working on something, and then if the Congressman needs something, you’re there, you’re meeting with constituents … it’s just constant,” Everett said.
There were many proud moments for Everett during this period. One of his achievements includes a bill (H.R. 2405 – The Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2017) that he worked on, which allowed nonprofit organizations to be recipients of emergency disaster relief funds. According to Everett, in light of the Supreme Court case Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer (2017), 582 U.S. 499, this bill – which was passed into law through an appropriations bill – allowed religious institutions to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster relief following disasters.
However, there were also moments that challenged his pursuit of law.
“I think after the [Trump administration] changed, so I didn’t have a job for 8 months. And it was so frustrating because you go from a thousand miles an hour to nothing and that was hard. And I didn’t get into [20] law school[s], I’m in business school and, it is the adversity that at the time you’re like, this … sucks, right?”
Everett stated that he always believed that things happened for a reason and that, in politics, you learn to keep moving forward. Yet, along with this curated mindset, he also relied upon his support system as well.
“I am an Italian from New Jersey. My family is really everything, you know, through my whole life … and I think it’s like people just continue to support you. I bring up the lieutenant governor because she’s very supportive. She’s happy for me when [I] succeed. And that’s who you want around you, is people who are supportive,” Everett said.
He has continued to grow his support system at Creighton University during his time in the law school, which he joined in 2023.
“I asked Professor Mangrum and Kelly to put my doctoral hood on me. Because they support [me]. And the weird thing about law school is in the classroom, I mean it is brutal, right? Like because they have a job to do. And that’s to make sure you can pass the bar. So, it is hard, but then on the back end, they do support you. They do help you. But like Dean Summers, she’s just so supportive. And like I said, Sangeetha at the counseling center. I get mad when other people go to her because there’s less time for me kind of thing. But like, no, everyone’s super supportive,” Everett said.
As he awaits his law degree, which will be awarded to him in December, Everett looks forward to his new career in the U.S. Navy; he was sworn in as an ensign in Navy Individual Ready Reserve. According to him, once he passes the bar examination, he will then become a judge advocate general in the Judge Advocate General’s corps.